[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 120 (Friday, June 21, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37653-37656]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-14896]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Notice of Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Safety Grants and Solicitation 
for Applications

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; announcement of grant opportunities and application due 
dates.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA announces the availability of FY 2014 safety grant 
opportunities and application due dates. Available grants include: the 
Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Basic and Incentive 
grants; MCSAP New Entrant Safety Audit grants; MCSAP High Priority 
grants; Border Enforcement Grants (BEG); Commercial Driver's License 
Program Implementation (CDLPI) grants; Commercial Vehicle Information 
Systems and Networks (CVISN) grants; Safety Data Improvement Program 
(SaDIP) grants; Performance and Registration Information Systems 
Management (PRISM) grants; and Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Operator 
Safety Training grants. These grant opportunities are authorized by the 
Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A 
Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), as amended by the Moving Ahead for 
Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21).

DATES: Application deadlines are as follows: MCSAP Basic and Incentive 
grants--August 1, 2013; Border Enforcement grants--August 12, 2013; 
MCSAP New Entrant Safety Audit grants--August 26, 2013; MCSAP High 
Priority grants--September 9, 2013; CDLPI grants--January 13, 2014; 
CVISN grants--January 13, 2014; SaDIP grants--January 21, 2014; PRISM 
grants--January 27, 2014; CMV Operator Safety Training grants--February 
3, 2014. Final dates will be published on the Federal Web site for 
discretionary grants, Grants.gov. If additional funding is available, 
the Agency may consider applications and plans submitted after the 
final due dates on a case-by-case basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FMCSA Grant Management Help Desk 
at [email protected] by telephone at (202) 366-2967, or 
by mail at FMCSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. 
Office hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background and Purpose

    For each grant program, FMCSA will post a Notice of Funding 
Availability (NOFA) at Grants.gov. The NOFA will provide specific 
information on: the application process; national program priorities 
for FY 2014; evaluation criteria; required documents and 
certifications; grantee matching share; maintenance-of-expenditure 
requirements, if applicable; and additional information related to the 
availability of funds. The Agency also provides information on FMCSA 
grants and application procedures on its Web site at http://
www.fmcsa.dot.gov/about/

[[Page 37654]]

GRANTS/financial-assistance.aspx. General information about these 
grants appears in the section of this notice titled ``Fiscal Year 2014 
Safety Grants.''
    To ensure timely review and award of all grants, applications must 
be submitted in accordance with the instructions in the NOFA for the 
specific grant requested and include all required information and 
attachments. FMCSA strongly encourages timely, complete applications, 
and may reject applications that are late, incomplete or lacking 
required attachments.

Fiscal Year 2014 Safety Grants

MCSAP Basic and Incentive Grants

    Sections 4101(a) and 4106 of SAFETEA-LU, [Pub. L. 109-59, 119 Stat. 
1144 (August 10, 2005)], as amended by secs. 32601 and 32603(a) of MAP-
21 [Pub. L. 112-141, 126 Stat. 405, (July 6, 2012)] authorize FMCSA 
MCSAP grants. The goal of MCSAP Basic and Incentive grants is to 
develop and implement programs to improve CMV safety and reduce the 
number and severity of crashes and hazardous materials incidents 
involving CMVs through consistent, uniform, and effective CMV safety 
programs.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient no more than 80 percent of 
eligible costs incurred in carrying out approved projects from the 
State's Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan (CVSP); the recipient must 
provide 20 percent in matching funds. The FMCSA Administrator waives 
the matching funds requirement for the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, 
Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (See 49 CFR 
350.305).
    Under the Basic and Incentive grant programs, a State lead agency 
for administering the CVSP, as designated by its Governor, (MCSAP lead 
agency) is eligible to apply for MCSAP Basic and Incentive grant 
funding by submitting an application in response to the NOFA. See 49 
CFR 350.201, 350.205, and 350.213. In accordance with 49 CFR 350.323, 
the MCSAP Basic grant funds will be distributed proportionally to each 
State's lead MCSAP agency using the following four, equally weighted 
(25 percent) factors:
    (1) 1997 road miles (all highways) as defined by the FMCSA;
    (2) All vehicle miles traveled (VMT) as defined by the FMCSA;
    (3) Population--annual census estimates as issued by the U.S. 
Census Bureau; and
    (4) Special fuel consumption (net after reciprocity adjustment) as 
defined by the FMCSA.
    A State's lead MCSAP agency also may qualify for Incentive Funds if 
FMCSA determines that the State's CMV safety program has shown 
improvement in any or all of the following five categories:
    (1) Reduction in the number of large truck-involved fatal crashes;
    (2) Reduction in the rate of large truck-involved fatal crashes or 
maintenance of a large truck-involved fatal crash rate that is among 
the lowest 10 percent of such rates of MCSAP recipients;
    (3) Upload of CMV crash reports in accordance with current FMCSA 
policy guidelines;
    (4) Verification of Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDL) during all 
roadside inspections; or
    (5) Upload of CMV inspection data in accordance with current FMCSA 
policy guidelines.
    The FMCSA calculates the amount of Basic and Incentive funding each 
State is to receive. This information is provided to the States and is 
made available on the Agency's Web site. The projected FY 2014 
distribution is available at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-initiatives/mcsap/mcsapforms.htm. The amount indicated is based 
on FY 2013 estimated awards and includes Incentive funding. State 
distributions for FY 2014 may be impacted by the total amount 
appropriated in FY 2014 and variations in the factors for both the 
Basic and Incentive formulae. The MCSAP Basic and Incentive formula 
grants are awarded based on FMCSA's approval of the State's CVSP. 
Therefore, the evaluation factors for discretionary grant programs 
described in the section of this notice titled ``Evaluation Factors'' 
are not applicable.

Border Enforcement Grants

    Sections 4101(c)(2) and 4110 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by secs. 
32603(c) and 32603(h) of MAP-21, authorize the Border Enforcement Grant 
(BEG) program. The goal of the program is to increase and enhance 
inspections of CMVs entering the United States. Additionally, the BEG 
program funds are utilized to ensure motor carriers operating CMVs 
entering the U.S. from a foreign country are in compliance with 
commercial vehicle safety standards and regulations, financial 
responsibility regulations and registration requirements of the U.S. 
and to ensure drivers of those vehicles are qualified and properly 
licensed to operate a CMV.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 100 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects. Eligible applicants 
include State governments or entities within States that share a land 
border with Canada or Mexico that can carry out border CMV safety 
programs and related enforcement activities and projects. FMCSA 
encourages local government agencies to coordinate their applications 
with the State lead CMV inspection agency to prevent redundancy. 
Applications must include a Border Enforcement Plan.

New Entrant Safety Audit Grants

    Section 4107(b) of SAFETEA-LU, amended by SAFETEA-LU Technical 
Corrections Act of 2008 [Pub. L. 110-244, sec. 301(b), 122 Stat. 1572, 
1616 (June 6, 2008)], and as amended by sec. 32603(e) of MAP-21, 
authorizes the New Entrant Safety Audit grant program. The goal of the 
MCSAP New Entrant Safety Audit grant is to reduce CMV-involved crashes, 
fatalities, and injuries by reviewing new interstate motor carriers to 
ensure that they have effective safety management programs. Recipients 
may use these funds for salaries and related expenses of New Entrant 
auditors, including training and equipment, and to perform other 
eligible activities that are directly related to conducting safety 
audits.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 100 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects. State and local 
governments are eligible for New Entrant Safety Audit grants.

MCSAP High Priority Grants

    Section 4107(a) of SAFETEA-LU, amended by secs. 4101(a) and 4107 of 
the SAFETEA-LU Technical Corrections Act of 2008, as amended by secs. 
32603(a) and 32603(d) of MAP-21, authorizes the MCSAP High Priority 
grant program. The goals of the MCSAP High Priority grant program are 
to implement, promote, and maintain national programs to improve CMV 
safety; increase compliance with CMV safety regulations; increase 
public awareness about CMV safety; provide education on CMV safety and 
related issues; and demonstrate new safety-related technologies.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 100 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects related to public 
education and outreach activities. FMCSA will reimburse each grantee 80 
percent of eligible costs incurred in carrying out approved projects 
related to all other activities; the recipient must provide 20 percent 
in matching funds for these activities. Eligible applicants are State 
agencies, local governments, and organizations representing government 
agencies that use and train qualified

[[Page 37655]]

officers and employees in coordination with State motor vehicle safety 
agencies. Participation of local law enforcement agencies is 
encouraged. When the NOFA is posted on Grants.gov, interested local law 
enforcement agencies should carefully review it for information about 
special considerations and application review processes.
    Examples of High Priority activities include innovative traffic 
enforcement projects with particular emphasis on texting and hand-held 
cell phone prohibitions, work zone enforcement, rural road safety, and 
innovative traffic enforcement initiatives such as high-visibility 
traffic enforcement programs to promote safe driving behaviors among 
car and truck drivers.

CDLPI Grants

    Sections 4101(c)(1) and 4124 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by secs. 
32603(c) and 32604 of MAP-21, authorize the CDLPI grant program. The 
goal of CDLPI grants is to improve highway safety by ensuring that 
States comply with the Federal regulations that require drivers of 
large trucks and buses to be qualified to obtain and hold the CDL 
necessary to operate those vehicles.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 100 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects. Eligible applicants 
for CDLPI grants include the agency designated by each State as having 
the primary driver licensing responsibility, including development, 
implementation, and maintenance of the CDL program. State agencies, 
local governments, and other entities that can support a State's effort 
to improve its CDL program, or conduct projects on a national scale to 
improve the national CDL program, may also apply for projects under the 
High Priority and Emerging Issues component of this grant. Priority 
will be given to proposals that help States comply with 49 CFR parts 
383 and 384, with specific emphasis on correcting previously identified 
areas of noncompliance.

CVISN Grants

    Sections 4101(c)(4) and 4126 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by secs. 
32603(c) and 32605 of MAP-21, authorize the CVISN grant program. The 
goal of CVISN grants is to advance the technological capability of 
Intelligent Transportation System applications for CMV operations, 
including vehicle, commercial driver, and carrier-specific information 
systems and networks.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 50 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects; the recipient must 
provide 50 percent in matching funds for these activities. The agency 
in each State designated as the primary agency responsible for the 
development, implementation, and maintenance of the CVISN-related 
systems is eligible to apply for grant funding.
    Section 4126 of SAFETEA-LU establishes two types of CVISN projects: 
Core and Expanded. To be eligible for funding of Core CVISN deployment 
project(s), a State must have its most current Core CVISN Program Plan 
and Top-Level Design approved by FMCSA and the proposed project(s) 
should be consistent with its approved Core CVISN Program Plan and Top-
Level Design. A State without an FMCSA-approved Core CVISN Program Plan 
and Top-Level Design may apply for funds to create one or to update an 
existing CVISN Program Plan and Top-Level Design.
    A State may also apply for funds to prepare an Expanded CVISN 
Program Plan and Top-Level Design if FMCSA acknowledged the staff as 
having completed Core CVISN deployment. In order to be eligible for 
funding of any Expanded CVISN deployment project(s), a State must have 
its most current Expanded CVISN Program Plan and Top-Level Design 
approved by FMCSA and any proposed Expanded CVISN project(s) should be 
consistent with its Expanded CVISN Program Plan and Top-Level Design. A 
State without an FMCSA-approved Expanded CVISN Program Plan and Top-
Level Design may apply for funds to create one or to update an existing 
Expanded CVISN Program Plan and Top-Level Design.
    The maximum core deployment grant funding that FMCSA may award a 
State is an aggregate total of $2.5 million in CVISN Core funding 
across all fiscal years. The maximum expanded deployment grant that 
FMCSA may award a State in any fiscal year is $1 million. After FMCSA 
has awarded grants for the Core Deployment of CVISN, FMCSA will then 
use the remaining CVISN funds for proposals for the Expanded 
Deployment.

SaDIP Grants

    Sections 4101(c)(5) and 4128 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by sec 
32603(c) of MAP-21, authorize Safety Data Improvement Program (SaDIP) 
grants. The goal of SaDIP grants is to improve the timeliness, 
efficiency, accuracy, and completeness of State processes and systems 
used to collect, analyze and report large truck and bus crash and 
inspection data.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 80 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects; the recipient must 
provide 20 percent in matching funds for these activities. Eligible 
applicants are State agencies, including the territories of Puerto 
Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands, and the District of Columbia. Applicants must certify that 
they have (1) conducted a comprehensive audit of its CMV safety data 
system within the preceding two years; (2) developed a plan that 
identifies and prioritizes its CMV safety data needs and goals; and (3) 
identified performance-based measures to determine progress toward 
those goals.

PRISM Grants

    Sections 4101(c)(3) and 4109 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by secs. 
32602 and 32603(c) of MAP-21, authorize the PRISM grant program. The 
goal of the PRISM grant is to assist States in identifying motor 
carriers responsible for the safety of CMV operations and to monitor 
the safety fitness of those carriers by linking the vehicle 
registration process to safety performance monitoring and enforcement.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 100 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects. Eligible applicants 
include States, U.S. Territories and Commonwealths, and the District of 
Columbia.

CMV Operator Safety Training Grants

    Section 4134 of SAFETEA-LU, as amended by sec. 32603(g) of MAP-21, 
authorizes the CMV Operator Safety Training grant program. The goal of 
the CMV Operator Safety Training grant program is to train potential 
drivers in the safe operation of CMVs.
    The FMCSA will reimburse each recipient 80 percent of eligible 
costs incurred in carrying out approved projects; the recipient must 
provide 20 percent in matching funds for these activities. Eligible 
applicants include State and local governments and accredited, post-
secondary educational institutions (public or private) such as 
colleges, universities, vocational-technical schools and truck driver 
training schools. FMCSA will give priority to those schools that 
develop a program to assist current or former members of the U.S. Armed 
Forces (including Guard members and Reservists) and their spouses to 
receive training to transition to the CMV operation industry and 
provide job placement assistance after graduation. Secondary to the 
first National priority, FMCSA may also consider those

[[Page 37656]]

applicants that demonstrate in the application a capacity to recruit 
and train individuals and provide job placement assistance after 
graduation to persons in documented economically-distressed regions of 
the U.S.

Evaluation Factors

    Below are evaluation factors that FMCSA will use to review 
applications for all FMCSA discretionary grants. Additional factors may 
be included in each NOFA. These factors are:
    (1) Prior Performance (e.g., completion of identified programs and 
goals per the project plan submitted under previous grants awarded to 
the applicant), if applicable;
    (2) Effective Use of Prior Grants (e.g., timely use of available 
funds in previous awards), if applicable;
    (3) Safety and Cost Effectiveness (e.g., expected impact on safety 
relative to the investment of grant funds; where appropriate, cost per 
unit was calculated and compared with national averages to determine 
effectiveness; in other areas, proposed costs are compared with 
historical information to confirm reasonableness);
    (4) Applicability to Announced Priorities; grant applications that 
specifically address these issues are given priority consideration;
    (5) Ability of the applicant to support the strategies and 
activities in the proposal for the entire project period of 
performance;
    (6) Use of innovative approaches in executing a project plan to 
address identified safety issues;
    (7) Feasibility of overall program coordination and implementation 
based upon the project plan; and
    (8) Other objective and performance-based criteria that FMCSA deems 
appropriate, such as consistency with national priorities, overall 
program balance, and geographic diversity.

Application Due Dates

    For the following grant programs, FMCSA will consider funding 
complete applications or plans submitted by the following dates (any 
changes to these dates will be indicated in the Grants.Gov NOFA):
    MCSAP Basic and Incentive Grants--August 1, 2013.
    Border Enforcement Grants--August 12, 2013.
    New Entrant Safety Audit Grants--August 26, 2013.
    MCSAP High Priority Grants--September 9, 2013.
    CDLPI Grants--January 13, 2014.
    CVISN Grants--January 13, 2014.
    SaDIP Grants--January 21, 2014.
    PRISM Grants--January 27, 2014.
    CMV Operator Safety Training Grants--February 3, 2014.
    Applications submitted after due dates may be considered on a case-
by-case basis and are subject to availability of funds.

    Issued under the authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.87 on June 14, 
2013.
William A. Quade,
Associate Administrator for Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2013-14896 Filed 6-20-13; 8:45 am]
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